The Pacific halibut all-depth sport fishery in the Columbia River Subarea closed as of Wednesday, June 3 at 11:59 p.m., fishery managers announced. The spring fishery from Leadbetter Point in Washington to Cape Falcon in Oregon opened on May 1 and was scheduled to be open every Thursday-Sunday through Sept. 30 or the harvest of 9,754 pounds of Pacific halibut, whichever came first. The all-depth fishery was scheduled to open again Thursday, June 4, but preliminary estimates indicate that landings are nearing the quota and not enough remains for any additional open days. The season is now closed until the end of the year. Effort in the Columbia River Subarea in 2015 was higher than in recent years and catch rates were good, enabling anglers to harvest the entire quota for this fishery for the first time since 2011. The Columbia River nearshore fishery (inside the 40-fathom line off of Oregon) remains open Mondays through Wednesdays until Sept. 30 or until the quota of 500 pounds is reached, whichever comes first. Opportunities to fish for Pacific halibut remain open in other areas of Oregon: Off central Oregon between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford), anglers may fish for halibut inside the 40-fathom line beginning July 1, seven days a week through Oct. 31 or attainment of the harvest quota for that fishery. The all-depth halibut fishery off central Oregon is scheduled to be open June 11-13 and June 25-27. A second, summer season is scheduled to begin in August. The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank, west of Newport, is closed to all halibut fishing. The area between Humbug Mountain and the OR/CA Border is open at all depths for Pacific halibut seven days a week through Oct. 31 or until the quota of 7,318 pounds has been met, whichever comes first. Days on which Pacific halibut fishing is open will be announced on the NOAA Fisheries hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Web site.
